Paul Allen gives $500K to Seattle’s KEXP — DJ says ‘there would be no station’ without him

Iconic Seattle radio station KEXP announced a $500,000 gift from entrepreneur and philanthropist Paul Allen Thursday.

Allen’s donation helped the station surpass its targeted $15 million fundraising goal for its capital campaign, set to close June 30. The funds will support KEXP’s high-tech new home at Seattle Center.

Allen has been a longtime contributor to KEXP. His donation in 2001 helped the station move off of the University of Washington campus, and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation supports the station through competitive grant proposals. KEXP plans to thank Allen for his support over the years by dedicating the artist entrance to its expanded Live Room to him.

KEXP DJ John Richards gave a shout-out to Allen during his morning radio show Thursday, before playing Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire.”

“His involvement transformed the station,” said Richards. “There would be no station without his involvement. This is for you Paul.”

GeekWire reporter Kurt Schlosser contributed to this report.

Monica Nickelsburg is GeekWire’s Civic Innovation Editor, covering technology-driven solutions to urban challenges and the intersection of tech and politics. Before joining GeekWire, she worked for The Week, Forbes, and NBC. Monica holds a BA in journalism and history from New York University. Follow her @mnickelsburg

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